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chocolatethief's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
0.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Blood, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Classism, Death, Gaslighting, and Gore
kirstenf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Classism, War, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, and Physical abuse
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
emilysreadingbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Colonisation, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, War, Drug use, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, and Violence
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Alcohol, Classism, Death of parent, and Racism
Minor: Confinement, Genocide, and Fire/Fire injury
calcifiend's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Classism, Blood, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, and War
Moderate: Confinement, Death of parent, Cursing, Sexual content, and Gore
Minor: Animal cruelty, Alcohol, and Medical content
frantically's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
First off, the negatives: I couldn't stand Violet most of the time. There's a very fine line between being a "cool" anti-heroine character and being a pick-me girl and most of the time, she was the latter. There was so little build-up to her and Cyrus' relationship and their characterisation sometimes seemed to change at will.
But there was also a lot of stuff I loved! I wish this had been an adult or new adult fantasy because godddd, were those spicy scenes good. Like, came for the fantasy, stayed for the blood kink. In their makeout scenes, Cyrus & Violet had so much chemistry and especially towards the end, it really turned into a dark romance. Obsessed with that! I also enjoyed the magic system and the main villain.
I wish the next book would be more focused on Cyrus & Violet's relationship and less on the, a bit boring, plot. The writing was so beautiful and especially that last chapter makes me tempted to still read the next one 🤫
Graphic: Murder, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Violence
Moderate: Xenophobia, Self harm, Child abuse, and Classism
Minor: War and Death of parent
kbairbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, War, Blood, Gore, Animal death, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Classism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Sexual content
natashaleighton_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I loved the cynical, prickly and unapologetically cunning Violet who is willing to do whatever it takes to survive—even if it leaves her at loggerheads with the Crown Prince, Cyrus. And although she’s definitely a flawed character I couldn’t help myself from rooting for her—and hoping that she and Cyrus would just give in to all the that delicious sexual tension, curse be damned.
It does have similar vibes to The Cruel Prince or Serpent & Dove with a sprinkling of Briar Rose/ Beauty and The Beast elements that I really enjoyed, but it is a completely original story so don’t expect too many similarities.
The pace was surprisingly fast despite how lush the world and character building was and I honestly think it could’ve been longer if only so I didn’t have to leave Gina Chen’s gorgeously crafted world.
Trust me, if you love your fairytales dark, and dangerously twisted then you’re going to absolutely love this.
Graphic: Blood, Misogyny, Racism, Body horror, Classism, and Sexism
Moderate: War and Violence
lastblossom's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
tl;dr
A dark fairy tale with a morally gray heroine and a compelling supporting cast for fans of sexy enemies-to-lovers type romances. Stubborn leads may be frustrating at times.
About
Violet is a seer to the royal court. But what she sees in her visions isn't necessarily what she prophesies to the people; after all, what's a little twist of the truth in service of the king? Prince Cyrus doesn't approve, but Violet doesn't care about his opinion. At least, she wishes she didn't. But with a curse hanging over his head, and the Fates whispering to Violet that only one of them will live, it might take more than a little twist of the truth to get out ahead.
Thoughts
Fairy tales in their rawest form are dark, violent, and often incredibly sexual. Violet Made of Thorns hits all those beats in a page-turning, morally gray tale about a seer, a prince, and a world full of conflicting desires. The book draws clear inspiration from several fairy tales (of note: Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, The Goose Girl), but it's not a retelling of any specific one, and it stands as its own story.
Violet is a stunning MC: Quick, self-reliant, and often grumpy. The author's note likens Violet to "unrelatable" MCs, and I while I think some readers will have difficulty approving of her choices, most will understand exactly why she made them. Her sense of self-preservation is powerful, something heroines don't always have. Lack of communication is my least favorite drama spice, and there are a few moments where she refuses to divulge information that I found frustrating. But by the end, I followed the reasoning behind her decisions (even the terrible ones) with ease. Prince Cyrus doesn't get the same amount of care and attention in terms of character development, but anyone looking for a firey haters-to-lovers romance should be satisfied. Of all the characters, Prince Cyrus' sister Camilla is my runaway favorite. I love a character who's self-assured, smart, and loves themselves the way they are. Overall, I'd recommend this to anyone looking for dark sexy romance with fairy tale overtones.
Moderate: Xenophobia, Blood, Body horror, Classism, Death, and Racism
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and War
lewnie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Overall: This is a well-crafted fantasy with a fantastic, morally gray protagonist. The stakes are high and the mystery unfolding around Violet will keep readers entertained throughout. The romance between Violet and Cyrus is fiery, though perhaps a little more entertaining when they fully believe they hate each other. Overall, this is a great addition for anyone who enjoys high-stakes romantic fantasy.
Graphic: Blood, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual content, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Medical content, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, and Self harm
Minor: Alcohol, Racism, and Misogyny